The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-10-19
A SMART DRUMMER.
WHY HIS SALARY WAS DOUBLED.

WHY HIS SALARY WAS DOUBLED.
Going over to Stonington the other
evening I met Frank Holbrook on the
boat. Holbrook, although young man,
is an old merchant. He was at the head
of the Chicago branch of the house of A.
T. Stewart & Co. for a time and l got
talking to him about that enterprising
class-the drummers. He told me this
story about one of them:
81 used to hatter myself" Holbrook
began, "thst could size up the appli-
cants for clerkships for what they were
worth, so as not to offer 50, 900 man a
$1,000 salary, or $1,000 dollar man
$4,000 salary. But / remember getting
badly deceived once. A young fellow
came into the Chicago store and asked
for q position. He was a red checked
little fellow, sported a nice mustache
with wax ends and wore well-ftting
clothes. looked him over and said to
myself: Here's young chap who can
probably earn enough to pay his land
lady and have few dollars week over
for cigars and cologne We were short
of help just then and made up my mind
that would offer him $3.50 year-that
being my idea of his full value. After
little preliminary talk said to him:
well, sir, what salary would you
expect-what do you think you would be
worth to us p
"I want 81, 500, "he promptly replied,
II think I'd be worth that to you; can
sell goods, Mr.. Holbrook.
There was something in his manner
that liked, an earnestness and direct
ness, but laughed to myself at the idea
of paying that youth $1,000. Still I
determined to give him trial if I could
get him at about my own figure. So after
. little more conversation I asked him if
he would be willing to come at $40 a
month. ''It will take you some weeks"
/ added, Thoroughly to acquaint your
self with our stock and our ways of do
ing business. If you are worth more to
Us that fact will not be long in appear
ing, and if it does appear you can rest
assured that your salary'll promptly be
raised"
'It's CO." replied Portsr-I call him
Porter, although that wasn't his name
"When I was leaving st. Louis I as
:sured the boys as I babe them good by
that wasn't coming back. So 1 intend
stay in Chicago. I think 1 can sell
goods, Mr.. Holbrook, and hope to bring
fou to the same opinion. I'll begin at
80 month"
As have said, there was something
abo,.t the young man that was preposs-
essiny in spite of his looking little too
much like dude. So engaged him at
SO month, convinced that had about
got MS measure. Well, sir, he started
in the next day like steam engine. He
went through our stock as if he were
detective whose reputation depended
upon his not missing anything. In an
amazing short time he was master of all
the preliminaries and then he went about
selling goods with the same assiduity.
He would watch for customer as vigi-
lantly as cat watches for mouse, and
once man got into his hands he was
gone-he had to buy to get rid of
Porter. A couple of months after
he entered the store we received from
New York consignment of a new and
very handsome line of goods. No sooner
were the samples displayed among the
clerks than two or three of them came
to me and said they thought they would
like to 60 out on the road fra week
they were sure they could secure good
many orders for those goods. "All
right" I said, and off they went. A
week later one of them returned. He
was one of our oldest salesnen and had
been making a trip through Southern
Illinois. "What Success2" inquired
He replied with rather crest-fal en- look
that as yet he hadn't disposed of any of
the goods, but that his customers were
pleased with the samples he showed
them, and were likely to send in their
orders later.
think Porter heard this conver a.
ton. At all events he came to me that
afternoon and remarked that he wished
would spare him for few days. GIVE
got some customers down in Southern
Illinois, Mr.. Holbrook, and I think
could sell them some of those new
goods"
'sAll right, Porter" said I, and off he
went.
Well, sir, he was back inside of a week,
and in that time he sold won't ven-
ture to say from memory how many
cases of goods. But remember he did
surprisingly we'll. And what made his
success the more remarkable, he got his
orders in the very towns which my old
salesman that I've mentioned worked to
no purpose. Along came Porter's tele-
grams, send two cases here, send four
cases there send six cases yonder, etc.
On his return invited him to come into
my private Office, and congratulated him
on the work he'd done. He seemed graf
flied at my commendation, but about all
he said was: 81 thought could sell some
goods for you, Mr.. Holbrook." Then
ypoke to him about the largest order he
lad secured. His eyes lit up, and he re-
marked
s.It was tough job getting that or.
der. I thought at first was going to
lose it."
''How so2''
"Well, went into the mans store and
lalked to him most of the afternoon, but
| couldn't fetch him. He said he liked
the goods, he didn't kick at the price,
but he wouldn't decide Invent back to
my hotel disappointed, but after supper
felt better, and determined I'd go up
to his home and make him social call,
so that he wouldn't forget me, you see. y
''Yes, I see."
swell. in the evening called around